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Topic: "I get it, I just don't like it" (Read 6521 times)

what are some music artists that you understand or appreciate, as far as their importance in music culture in general and/or their place in their respective genre, but aren't really a fan of? and for myself when I say I'm "not a fan" I specifically mean that I don't enjoy listening to their music, it's usually completely a matter of aural aesthetics. here are a few of my own examples:

Diamanda Galas - great respect for her art, but I can't listen for more than a few secondsAphex Twin - I released a CD under the name Ugliness Man in the early 2000s for a short-lived electronica label, and through some of my associations I learned a lot about Aphex Twin and how much he/they inspired and launched the careers of countless other electronic artists, but I find the music rather boring to listen toNeil Young - I considered myself a fan for awhile, then I actually sat down and started trying to listen to his "classic" albums. yawn.

honorable mention: Justin Bieber. the music he makes is a brand of pop music that I can't stand, and yeah he's kind of a douche, but he's an incredible talented rapper and drummer, and given the chance I would definitely collab with him.

and the inverse of this: Joanna Newsom. I love love love her music and I think she's an awesome person that I would love to hug and have long weird conversations with, but I can totally see why some people don't like her.

by the way, the title of this post was inspired by discussions between fans and detractors of REM in their early days. this is true for a lot of artists, but REM fans specifically seem to latch onto "you don't like it because you don't get it". I'll buy that this is true for some non-fans, but it's certainly not the default position. there are absolutely NO artists that are liked by everyone who gives them a fair chance, not even the fucking Beatles (I love the Beatles myself, but I've met a few intelligent sincere non-fans and I don't tell them they're wrong).

I own the entire Beatles catalog except Yellow Submarine. I am the rare fan that thinks the run of 2.5 minute pop songs from Hard Days Night through Revolver is still unparalleled and more fun to listen to today than the later stuff.

I also own most of the other British Invasion stuff (The Animals, the Zombies, even the Dave Clark Five) but not the Rolling Stones. I never could see the attraction.

I own the entire Beatles catalog except Yellow Submarine. I am the rare fan that thinks the run of 2.5 minute pop songs from Hard Days Night through Revolver is still unparalleled and more fun to listen to today than the later stuff.

I think you are right in a lot of respects. The period between Sgt Pepper and Abbey Road was IMHO a really uneven period for them. It's the closest they ever got to making a lot of filler. There were some real gems in that period but some half-considered stuff too.

I would say that the Hard Day's Night-Revolver period is an interesting period --there is some real sonic exploration in there and you can actually hear the struggles in Beatles for Sale --they seem tired, cynical and frustrated.That said, during those years they are doing some of their most boring cover tunes.IMHO they REALLY got things kicked off in Please Please Me-Hard Days Night. Almost everything is exciting and one of the pinnacle recordings of them performing as a tight unit is the cover of Twist and Shout.

Same goes for a considerable amount of punk and Metal. I can listen to certain tunes in certain circumstances, but most of it bores me.

I don't get contemporary country and I don't get most of the pop R&B of recent vintage at all (there is no rhythm and there is no blues).^ I am a fervent fan of older country and older R&B. The newer stuff is too market tested and over produced. I've never been a fan of top 40 programming.

One more for the Beatles, even Ringo was a good musician and they were clearly influential but there are about 4 songs I like.

Most but not all rap.

Metallica, clearly better than just about any band of a similar genre, but really on 3 or 4 songs I particularly like.

I do not even "get" AC/DC, its just crap as far as I can tell. I think its because I didn't listen to them before I was an adult, they really seem to hook boys at about 13 years old. Kinda like Disney land only just for boys.

I agree with most contemporary country and R&B. Modern country just sounds like pop to me, which I also don't get but it clearly appeals to a broad audience and bubble pop varies in only trivial details from the bubble gum pop of 40, 30, 20 or 10 years ago. "Its got a good beat and I can dance to it." I just never like it.

I had an interesting conversation with a top 40 DJ once, its actually Top 1 to 2 hours of music which is really top 10 to 20 at most. Radio's business model is that nobody listens longer than their commute. Super repetitive. Also, what's with the classic rock station, "we play all the hits from the 70s, 80s, and 90s". Surely there were more than 10 hit rock songs in 3 decades.

Also, what's with the classic rock station, "we play all the hits from the 70s, 80s, and 90s". Surely there were more than 10 hit rock songs in 3 decades.

Classic rock stations piss me off.

Back when I first started listening to FM rock radio in the late '70s early 80s, just about everything they played was made between '65 and that moment.The things was, the DJ had very broad discretion on what he or she could play--so it wasn't uncommon for the DJ to play one of those side-long progressive tunes if they wanted.

Now it seems the station has a collection smaller than I had in High School, but comprised mostly of "greatest hits" compilations.

"There's only one rule that I know of, babies—God damn it, you've got to be kind." Kurt Vonnegut"You can bet your last money it's all gonna be a stone gas, honey." Don Cornelius"Wow! You spark up my entire thinking faculty." A scammer/bot on a dating site

Elvis, super influential and guilty of cultural appropriation or opening up black music to a wider audience. Either way, everything he ever recorded sounds better when covered by someone else, even Cheap Trick's version of Don't be Cruel is better than his.

Edit to add:Metal, in all forms but Nu-Metal, I think its because I'm from the Central Valley of California. Nu-metal is the only music variety other than Bakersfield Country that was born in that region.

It indeed difficult to get into new artists or styles as one ages. My sons send me stuff but few get through a Spotify playlist for me.

An exception has been Lake Street Dive, who I really enjoy, seeing them live twice (and I do few live concerts anymore).

I had trouble articulating why, though, until I watched a YouTube of a songwriting seminar they presented. They strive to re-create the format of the 2.5 minute pop song in their unique instrumentation. As noted earlier, it was the Beatles early mastery of this genre that I still have on my heavy phone rotation.

Wasn't their some pop psychology story about 6 months ago that people stop listening to new music around 28 years old or so?[/quote]I've heard that before and think it is true with a lot of people.I may or may not listen to "new" music, but I certainly listen to a lot of music that is new to me even though a lot of it is way older than I am.I think what I was listening to after the age of 24 was almost entirely stuff I didn't listen to --or wouldn't even consider listening to when I was a teenager.